


Lilly Saunders

by HuffleBBC



Category: Darkest Powers - Kelley Armstrong
Genre: Cabal Killed Her, Chloe and Derek's Child, Chloe is dead, Demons, Derek is still there, F/M, Human Experimentation, M/M, Might add more tags later, New at tagging, On the Run, Powerful MC, The Cabal is after her, Trust Issues, Vampires, Werewolves, Witches, Work In Progress, after canon, tensions
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-13
Updated: 2019-02-13
Packaged: 2019-10-27 18:25:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 6
Words: 18,123
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17771954
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HuffleBBC/pseuds/HuffleBBC
Summary: Lilly was only five when her mother perished in a house fire, following the devastating event she is shipped to an orphanage; but nothing is as it seems. With the discovery of a journal from her mother comes a message that will flip Lilly's whole world upside down and sides ways. Monsters from stories and evil organisations spring out of the ground, relationships become complicatedly entangled in webs of lies and betrayal, and her understanding of herself is blown out the window by powers that begin to surface. Lilly's inner strength is tested in this thrilling tale, played off of the Darkest Powers Series written by Kelly Armstrong.





	1. Prologue

 

**Prologue**

"Lilly, my flower," Mom called from the front hall. "Hurry up, we're gonna be late!"

"Coming mommy!" I called back shoving one final bite out my breakfast toast. I swiveled the chair away from our high, dark marble counter and jumped down. My thick, maroon-brown locks falling into my face. I pushed them away impatiently as I raced toward my mom. She was already at the front door, smiling as she waited patiently for me. The strawberry scent of her shampoo reached my nose as her rusty blonde hair sank to my level helping me tie the complicated bow in my troublesome shoelaces. Straightening up, I shrugged into my power puff girls, pink backpack and ran out the door determined to beat my mom to the stairs.

I loved kindergarden! All the crafts and games, friends and story time, but my favourite part was getting to school. Every morning my mom and I would race down the stairs to my school, and the winner got to chose the bedtime story that night!

Mother ruffled my hair playfully as she came up beside me at the top of the stairs. "You sure are getting fast, my baby blossom." Her soft, sweet, voice said and I beamed up at her. "On the count of three. One...two...three!" As she called the last number my foot left the top step and I flew down the creaky, weather worn stairs that I knew so well. Mom was only a step behind me as I landed on the hard cement.

I gave a little victory dance, "Tonight we read Aladdin!" I told my mom, although I'm sure she already knew. Aladdin was my favourite Disney story of all time.

"Okay hunny." Mom smiled down at me. Her head turned too look at a black commercial van and her smile faultered before returning twice as bright. "Lilly, I have a gift for you." I felt my body begin to bounce; I loved gifts, all gifts. Her hand dipped into her jeans producing gold heart shapped locket from her pocket. It was embroidered with green stones that matched the exact shade of my eyes. Picking up my hair, I let her fasten it around my neck. Using my thumb and pointer finger I popped it open; inside was a beautiful picture of my mom probably no older than seventeen and on the other side was an inscription: _I will love you forever. No matter how far apart we seem I will always be with you_.

After refastening the locket I jumped up and gave my mom a great, tight, bear hug, the biggest I could muster. "Thank you soooo much mommy."

She smiled back, hugging me just as ferociously. "Run along now, you'll be late if you don't hurry." With one last peck on the cheek I ran inside the school.

 


	2. The Journal

**The Journal**

The screeching sound of my alarm clock woke me, groaning I reached over to press the snooze button. Hand still placed over the annoying object, I fell back into my pillow and closed my eyes hoping for a few more moments of peaceful shut eye.

"Lilly," A voice came from outside my rooms door. "Time to get up." I shoved the pillow over my ears hoping to drown out the knocker at my door. "Now Lilly or do I have to get one of the guards to come drag you out?"

"No," I groaned at the person on the other-side of my door. "I'm getting up,"

"Don't be late for breakfast," Cautioned the annoying person, before they walked away satisfied.

I sighed rolling out of bed, barely catching myself on my feet. I heaved my half asleep self over to my closet, stripping out of my silk pyjama's and into the first shirt and pants that my fingers found in my over stuffed closet. Next was the bathroom, washing my face woke me up a little but when I saw my reflection as I passed my full length mirror I was shocked awake. My appearance was dreadful. My straight, dark chocolate hair looked like a tangled birds nest, dark heavy bags had settled underneath my emerald green eyes, and the outfit I so randomly picked earlier consisted of an orange and green tie-die shirt I didn't know I owned and a pair of greenish-brown sweats. I heaved another sigh and went back to my wardrobe to pick out a more suitable attire, which consisted of a plain black tee-shirt, and dark acid washed jeans. After my outfit was attended to I headed into my bathroom to tame my wild locks and put on some make-up to hide the caliginous circles that grew under my eyes after several nights of bad sleep. Once I looked presentable I looked at the obnoxious alarm clock on my nightstand to check the time.

"Shit!" I cursed under my breath, I had barley one minute to make the three minute walk to the dinning hall. If I was late for breakfast again they were going to send me to talk to Dr. Davidoff about the rudeness of being late.

Not paying mind to whether or not my bedroom door had closed, I sprinted down the hall. I live at an orphanage run by a man named Dr. Davidoff; I have been here since my mother passed when I was five. The visions of the charcoal remains of my house and of my mothers face have plagued my dreams for years now making it hard to wake up in time to follow the military strict morning schedule. Around here everything is one a schedule and if you deviate from the schedule - without Davidoff's permission - three times you get a punishment that is worse then you could imagine.

My breaths come in huffs as I slid into the doors of the dinning hall. All the others turned to look at me. I paid them no mind; instead I took a glance at the watch around my wrist and nearly screamed out in joy at seeing the time just change.

"Cutting it close today aren't we Miss Saunders?" I turned to see Geoffrey my guard approach me, he didn't wear anything fancy like a suit and tie, just the gray, loose fitting, janitor style company uniform, but he always brought me my meals and walked me to and from my classes. Now not everyone - no one but me - has a guard here at the orphanage and as a result the other kids have always stared; But I was the first kid here and, all the doctors say I've got talents that make me more special then any of the others. I don't know what talents they are talking about and whenever I asked my question is ignored, but I'll never complain about getting the special treatment exceptionally when I don't have to stand in line and eat the nauseating gray slop like the rest of them.

"Sorry Geoffrey but at least I wasn't late again." I smiled at the man in the company uniform. I was one strike way from being sent down to see the head man for morning tardiness and receive punishment. "So what didn't I miss for breakfast since I made it in on time?" I asked as he led me over my usual table and pulling out my chair as I sat down.

"Two eggs scrambled two pancakes, and two slices of bacon." He said placing the plate he was holding down in front of me. Some times I wish it was like the butlers in the movies with the silver domes on top, with intricate designs along the edges accompanied with stainless steel utensils but, I'm not in some rich mansion so I guess the pre-packaged food, Dixie plate and plastic fork will have to-do.

"Thanks Geo," I say using the pet name he doesn't like, he gives me a playful glare before going back over to the door to wait for me finish. Geoffrey has been assigned to follow me around since my first week here and as a result we've become close. Although I won't go as far as to call us friends we do get along.

I have a different schedule then the other kids here; I have to go through training and more regular medical check ups. Geoffrey's job is to lead me to and from all of my classes, training, meals, check ups, and anywhere else I go. It's the high price I pay for getting special meals and one hour of down time.

When my classes finished and I was glad, not because I dislike school - I love to learn- but because it is boring. Always the same thing, learn something new, do a worksheet, next day review. Stuck in the melancholy of an average day I blindly followed Geoffrey as we left my last class of the day; it wasn't until the third wrong turn that I realized we weren't heading toward my room. Taking a better look at the hall around me I realized we were heading toward Dr. Davidoff's office. Fear slammed into me, and my heart beat began to race. Why was Geoffrey taking me to see Davidoff? Had I gotten into trouble for something? Was I caught running in the halls on my way to breakfast? I tried to control my panic as all these questions bounced about in me head.

When we finally entered Davidoff's office he was sitting behind a large, polished, dark cherry wood desk. Files and loose papers sat in straight, organized piles on either side the desk, the center work space was clear besides a small dark leather bound book, with gold lettering on the cover and an oddly shaped lock.

Davidoff was an older gentleman, with grey balding hair. Heavy prescription glasses at on the end of his nose in front of eyes with irises so dark the pupils were indistinguishable. He was holding a thin cell phone up to his ear when he spotted us. With his free hand Davidoff gestured for me to take a seat in the chair in front of his desk.

"How are you this afternoon, Miss Saunders?" He said as he placed his phone down on the desk beside the book.

"Fine sir," I said. "And you?" I asked more to be polite then with actual interest.

"That's good." He replied ignoring me question, "I'm a busy man so I'll get to the point. Dr. Fellows has been holding on to a safety deposit box that was recovered from your house after the fire. Recently she found that it had a false bottom, in the bottom was a journal that had your name on it unfortunately it's locked and without a key but we thought you would want it anyway." I was disturbed that they had been keeping something of my mothers from me without my knowledge or consent, but that feeling was pushed aside as he picked up and handed me the dark book from his desk and handed it to me.

"Thank you." I said as I reached out to take it from him. Davidoff watched me as I inspected the gold inscripted cover. "You don't know what it means to me to have something that belonged to my mother." I looked up from the book, hugging it to my chest.

"You're very welcome," He replied a smile growing on his face. "You may return to your rooms now, you should have a few minutes before dinner." He dismissed me. Geoffrey who had gone to stand at the back of the room was by my side again and he escorted me to my room.

When we reached my room I closed the door and dropped onto my bed still grasping the book to my chest. I began to fiddle with the necklace that my mother had given me the day she died; I felt click in my brain. I took off the necklace looking at the heart shape that was encrusted with emeralds. I turned it over reading the inscription that lay across my throat.  _Love you, Always_  it read. With my thumb I opened the clasp looking at the pictures of my mom that were inside. Her baby blue eyes stared out at me from the picture, her strawberry blond hair was blowing in some breeze, her happy smile made me miss her even more then I did everyday. Taking a shaky breath I pushed back the tears that wanted to fall and turned to the journal. I placed my necklace over the double heart lock and it fit. I smiled and pressed down, the lock clicked and I pulled the strap - which was keeping it closed - away. Inside in clear ink was my mother's handwriting. I flipped through the pages only the first few were written on. My smile grew impossible bigger as I flipped to the first page and began to read;

_My Dearest Lilly,_

_There is so much you don't yet know about yourself and about the world around you. The world is full of nasty secrets and unbelievable truths. I've always thought that I would be able to shield you, keep you safe, but it seems that that was very naïve of me. It is my dearest wish that you never have to read this letter, that my writing this is simply a paranoid action. If you are reading this then my fears have become reality and I am no longer with you. I'm sorry flower. You are so young; I haven't wanted to burden you with my troubles. Now they have become yours and I fear that they have multiplied._

_I need you to listen very carefully to this next part and believe what I have to say, even if it makes little sense to you right now. Everything will be clear soon, but for now you are in danger. As a result of things from my childhood people have sought after me. They are dangerous people, and view me as an experiment. Up till now they have been tracking me, trying to bring me back but I believe their plans have changed. I write this letter to you because I believe that you have became the target of these people. You'll become their next experiment if they get your hands on you and I can't bear for that to happen._

_I hope that this letter hasn't reached you too late. I hope that they have yet to get their hands on you. Your very special Lilly and you need to hide. You need to run from these people, hide from them. Please my flower keep yourself safe, they may show up when you lest expect them. They appear to be regular people, but they are dangerous. Don't agree to stay or go anywhere with anyone, there are few you can trust._

_I'm truly sorry,_

_Mom_

I didn't even get time to process what I read when a knock came at my door. Quickly I re-locked the journal and hung the necklace back on my neck.

"Come on in," I called to the person on the other side of the door.

Slowly the door opened revealing Dr. Fellows. She was the doctor that I got check ups with every month. She was old enough to be my grandmother with long thin hair that looked like it might have once been golden. She was always super friendly; she watched out for me the most out of the staff. We had been close since I got here when I was little. I used to have check-ups every day, they would poke me with all sorts of needles and run all kinds of scans. These check up used to scare me, but Dr. Fellows always did her best cheer me up.

"Hello Lilly, I heard Dr. Davidoff gave you a journal." She said coming to sit next to me on my bed.

"Yeah, he did." I opened my mouth to tell her about what I had found within the pages, but my tongue tied and my gut clenched. I told her about everything but it felt wrong to talk to her about this. "It's nice to have something that belonged to my mother." I followed my gut, and kept my mouth shut.

"Yes I found it among her things, I have tried to find a key but there was none. Davidoff thought that perhaps you would have an idea of how to unlock it." She said smiling as she looked at the journal I held clutched to my chest. Again warning bells began to chime in my mind, I couldn't tell her I had the key to the lock.

"He told me you found it. Thanking for giving it to me, locked or not it still makes me feel close to her again." Knowing I sucked at lying, I skipped over answering her directly.

She nodded her face fell a bit, but she managed to hold her friendly smile in place. "Your welcome my dear. If I find the key I'll be sure to give it to you."

I gave her the warmest smile I could mange without feeling like it looked too fake and said "This has been such an emotional day I hope you can understand that I'd like to get in some extra Z's."

Getting up Dr. Fellows gave me a little pat on the shoulder, "I do." she said as she headed out the door letting it close behind her.

I waited till I could no longer hear her footsteps leave my door to reopen the journal. I read over my mother's handwriting several times, trying to process everything she had wrote. The second paragraph confused me the most. Experiment? What was she talking about? What kind of experiment? Questions buzzed around my mind in circles with no answers. Who where these dangerous people? Why do I have to hide? Why couldn't I tell Dr. Fellows about the message in the journal?

****

_"Lilly?" a voice called from outside the door. I hid under the bed, as the door opened and the person entered the room. Fear coursed through me making my heart beat so fast it hurt. I desperately tried to control my breathing; I couldn't let them find me. A shadow feel across the floor beside the bed, and dread filled my stomach. "Lilly," The voice called again. "Come on little girl, now's not the time for a game of hide and seek."_

_"Hurry up man; you know how the doctor is when you keep him waiting." Another voice came from outside._

_"Yea, yea, I know. Help me find her or shut up." The man inside my room snarled at his partner. A sigh came in response, followed by a set of footsteps entering the room. I could hear them shuffling around through the closest and bathroom area. I had to escape now, or they would find me. I couldn't see the doctor again, his dingy lab coat that always smelt funny and those eyes that looked at me like some sort of experimental subject. He scared me._

_My fear crowded my senses, leaving the men's presence unknown under they were lifting the bed sheet to look under. I scooted as far back as I could in the cramped space as the hazel eyes of the guard landed on me. "Greg I found her," He said calling to his companion. "Help me lift the bed, while I grab her."_

_Greg moved lifted the bed and light hit my previously dark hiding space. No! I screamed in my mind as I tried to kick at the man reaching for me. My little kicks did no good, and a strong grip grabbed my ankle pulling me toward the man with hazel eyes. "Let me go!" I cried, still struggling desperately to escape his grasp._

_"Sorry kid, no can do. Doc wants to see you." Fear overwhelmed me at his words and my struggling became frantic flailing as I was carried from my small, cement room._

_"No, let me go! Please!" I cried, "Help!" I yelled at the people we encountered in the hall. I got some looks of pity from them, but no one lifted a finger to help me. Why? Why wouldn't they help me? Didn't they understand? "Help me! Please!" I called out again at the people. Again everyone turned away form my screaming. Tears ran in hot streaks down my cheeks, as we rounded a corner and toward a short, older man in a dingy lab coat._

_"Took you boys long enough, get her strapped onto the table." He commanded as he took in my flailing form. The hard I fought, the harder they held onto me. Their grip hurt my arms and legs. My limbs were tired from all my struggling and I laid there sobbing in fear as the doctor came toward me. "How are we today little one?" He asked, a weird little of curiosity filling his eyes. I flinched away from him, only to see a hint of anger run across his features. I whimpered as a nurse handed over one of the many needles which sat lined on a table next to him. The light returned to his eye as he drove the needle into my arm._

_The liquid he injected into my arm burned in my veins, and I screamed._

My eyes snapped open as I bolted out of my dream. No not dream, memory, I corrected myself. I was drenched in sweat, and my breathing was shallow. The fear still lingered in my system as I tried to calm myself. I didn't remember falling asleep, but my nap had taken up the majority of my free time before dinner. I sighed, pulling myself from my bed. I looked one last time at my journal before placing it into my dresser drawer and walking to the washroom to clean up before dinner.


	3. Following My Gut

Chapter Two: Following My Gut

I left my room, earlier than necessary hoping the walk would help shake the nightmare from my mind. Why would my mind have brought up such a disturbing memory after so many years? They haven't brought me in for any of those tests since I turn eight, nine years. I was mauling it over in my mind as I walked when something clicked. Something in my moms note;  _you'll become their next experiment if they get your hands on you._ Did those words induce the dream? I had always felt like some sort of lab rat to the doctor. A dread began to fill my stomach, causing butterflies to swarm in storms in my gut. I hadn't really thought about mom's warning, there's few I can trust, what if the people she was warning me about were people like the doctor? He was employed by Davidoff, so did that mean he was an enemy to?

My heart wanted to listen to my moms warning, and run. It wanted me to run from this place, to hide from Davidoff, and the doctor and whomever else they were affiliated with, my gut seemed to agree. Together the urge to run was so strong, but my mind disagreed. Logic said that people didn't do human experiments, that the needles I feared so much were just simple health tests. They wouldn't harm me, they never have. I was just being paranoid, driven by a sort of childish mother-can't-lie mentality. Still my feet refused to move me any closer to the dinning hall than I already was. I hadn't even noticed I had stopped till I tried to tell myself to move. Even if I did high tail it out of here, where would I go? I had no where else to run to, even if I was able to sneak out passed all of the guards, and electric fence, they would find me. I'd be stuck on the streets with no money, and no allies. I tried reasoning with my gut. I couldn't just keep standing frozen in the hall someone would notice, they would ask questions; questions that I might not be able to answer.

My feet began to move even before I realized my decision. I was heading away from the dinning hall and back to my room. Once there I took a look at the clock, 4:45, glared back at me in red lights. 15 minutes before someone would come looking for me. I grabbed my mother's journal, and threw on my warmest sweater, before slipping out my door and heading for the exit. There was this one wing that wasn't used often anymore, I passed by it on my way to my training everyday, and I knew it had an exit that wasn't alarmed or guarded. I headed there, trying my best not to stand out anymore than I normally would. I passed a few people, but none of them spared me a second glance, before I reached the abandoned wing. I half ran, half walked over to the exit, holding my breath as I stepped out of the building and into a wild untrimmed lawn. There was a small, half broken down playground off to the side, and a gate opening beside it. I ran hunched over to the gate, hoping not to be noticed from one of the upper windows. There was a keypad next to the gate, it was rusted and weather beaten - I doubted it still worked - and it was topped with rusted barbwire. The whole yard was surrounded by fences with barbwire, yet unlike them the gate was chain link instead of five foot high cement. I could climb over, although I chanced being seen by a guard. It was my only escape, so I took a deep breath, sent up a prayer for good luck and grabbed the fence.

In a couple minut _es_ I had reached the top, and the view was spectacular. I could see the surrounding tree line and the several different paths that lead into them. Some still had people walking near them but there was one close to me that was more overgrown then the others and free of people. Swinging my leg over the fence I climbed down a few feet before dropping into a crouch, trying to absorb the impact with my entire body like my trainer had taught me. I ran down to the path hunched over, than squatted behind a bush. I waited a minute or so to see if anyone had noticed me before turning to sprint down the path. I hoped I had at least five minutes left before my disappearance was detected as I ran. With the speed I, thank the gods, had I could make it quite far in those five minutes.

I was still barely within hearing range of the building when I herd shouts and the building's alarm went off. I knew that they would be cancelling dinner, all of the kids would be locked into their rooms, and the guards would begin area searches. It happened once before, a girl had tried to run away from the orphanage. She claimed they were monsters, that they would use their power to kill us all. No one really took he seriously, they told us she had schizophrenia. They found her in no time; she was screaming when they brought her in, I could hear them from my room. Than they just stopped, not faded but stopped. I always assumed they sedated her, but I never saw her again to ask. She had faded from my memory and I hadn't thought about her till now. Would I end up like her? Found, sedated, shipped off, and forgotten? I wasn't going to stick I round to find out, I decided as I picked up speed to my run.

I made it to a highway without anyone finding me; I could no longer hear the screaming of the alarm. The sky was darkening, and the wind was brutal. I was happy I had brought my sweater, but even it wasn't that much help against the cold.  _What to do now?_  I thought I can't stop here; they'll still be searching for me. I should probably try and make it a town over before I stop. How will I get there, though? I mused over my options as I walked, and decided hitchhiking was the only logical option.

I suck out my thumb as I walked, without any success at picking up a ride. Walking wasn't getting me very far, very fast. I had used all my energy running to the highway. This is probably when they found the crazy girl. I thought to myself. No ride, no energy, the sun setting, and no where to go.  _This is stupid; I should have waited to run. Planned some sort of escape, before leaping blindly into a world I hadn't seen since I was five_.

The light was barley a force in the sky when I came across a small, side of the road gas station and restaurant. There was a bench outside the restaurant, and I turned to sit. I couldn't walk much longer, my legs were like lead and my eyes were so heavy. I had to think of a way to get to the next town with my invisible funds. Someone walked out of the dinner, and with them came the delicious scents of food. My mouth watered instantly, and my stomach growled so loud the guy leaving herd it and took a double take at me. I looked away, trying my best not to look like someone who had runaway and walked down a highway for hours. Either I did a good job or the guy lost interest because he walked away without saying anything to me.

Some point in my contemplating I fell asleep. My dreams were torn apart, as usual, by the memories of my mother death. The dream was reaching its climax, and I knew any moment I would jolt awake on the bench screaming bloody murder. I was bracing myself for it when a male voice cut through the dream, pulling me out of the horror. I slowly opened my eyes to see two hazel green eyes inspecting me. He moved his face back slightly when my eyes opened but he continued to inspect me. My first thought as I stared into those hazel eyes was  _They found me._

 "Are you Dear Lilly?" The eyes asked me, as they stepped away to reveal the speaker. He was tall, perhaps around six foot three, and dressed in mostly black. "I'm supposed to be picking her up here," He spoke again. I made no move to respond, barley understanding his words as the blood pounded in my brain. I inspected his face, the sharp angles of his cheekbones and the strong line of his jaw. His chin sported a short well kept goatee and a mustache rested just above his upper lip. He doesn't look familiar I thought to myself. I was certain I had seen everyone who worked at the orphanage. What if he's new? my conscience asked.

 "Look girly, are you Dear Lilly or not, because we need to hurry. I don't want the hassle of trying to shake some dogs off our tails." My gut wasn't warning me away, in fact quite the opposite. I felt like I could trust him. Mom said you couldn't trust anyone my conscience chimed in again, not too mention his looking for you and you've never met him before. Only the orphanage knows you're out here somewhere. My conscience was right, and although I wanted to trust him I hesitated.

"My name is Lilly," I told him hesitantly. Before he could respond there was a howl in the distance, the sound caused me to look away from the guy in front of me. I wasn't aware that there were any wolfs in this area. Just then the stranger cursed and I felt his hand grasp on my arm. Before I had a second to think I was being whisked off the bench and shoved into the passenger seat of a silver Saturn sedan. He revved the engine to life and shot out of the truck stop racing out onto the highway.

He spent the next ten minutes continuously checking his rear view mirror before he relaxed. I took the time to think about my sudden change in situation. I had gone from being a runaway with no plan, to a kidnapped runaway on the way to... Where was I going? How had he known I was there? How had he known my name? My heart rate spiked with anxiety. This wasn't good.

"Are you okay?" He asked looking over at me briefly before returning his attention to the road. His tone was laced with concern and worry scrunched his eyebrows together. He reached out a hand to comfort me and I flinched away. Understanding dawned on his features as he retraced his hand, placing it back onto the steering wheel.

"Where are you taking me?" I asked him.

I didn't actually expect him to answer, after all the criminals never did in movies. "To the safe house." his reply startled and confused me. My expression must of shown my emotion for he said, "Roger will be able to explain everything when we get there. He's the one told me where to find you, and that you'd need our help." His explanation caused me more confusion. Questions were buzzing around my head like angry bees. I refrained from asking them, realizing I wasn't going to get a clear enough answer. Instead I tried to distract myself with the scenery flying by, outside my window.

  
I had never been good at fighting the lulling vibration of a car ride, so despite my better intentions I had drifted off to sleep. The last thing I remembered was wondering 'how far is this safe house?'.


	4. Darren

Darren

I burst from the forest. My breath ragged from running came out in laboured pants. At once the fragrance of oranges which polluted the air surrounded me. Each inhale of the scent my breathing slowed and anxiety which had built up in my veins drained.

Before of me was the most peaceful place I had ever seen. Row upon row of lush green trees laid out before me. They called me forward, pulling me toward the aisles. Upon nearing the first tree I reached out my fingers resting against the rough bark. Underneath my hand I sensed the life as it pulsated throughout the tree. 'This tree was young,' I thought, smiling to myself before turning to walk along the aisles of breathtaking trees.

The wind picked up my hair playing with the loose curls. I laughed as the strands tickled my neck. I felt so alive, so happy.

A petite white cottage formed in the distance. The window frames and door were a matching royal blue. Under each window a small flower garden held white and yellow daisies. Wrapped around the entire building a porch complete with its own couple swing protruded. Smoke rose from the chimney in puffy clouds, rising up into the azure sky. 'Home' my mind sighed as I neared the house causing my smile grow, that's right this was my home.

"There you are!" A voice called from behind me in a deep, musical tone I knew anywhere. A smile sprang it life on my face as his big strong arms came from behind capturing me. He spun me around to face him, a board smile gracing his lips. "I looked for you everywhere,"

"Sorry, I just couldn't resist the trees." I replied pointing toward the orchard. He laughed as he grabbed my hand, bringing me toward the house. Sitting just outside the door on the front step was a woven wood picnic basket. I smelt the fresh bread and fruit as the aromas seeped out of the container. I looked up at him, my eyes full of joy.

He returned my smile, his eyes shining. "Care for dining out with me for lunch, I found the best new place." My excitement was uncontainable.

"Always," I replied as I stared in his perfect hazel green eyes.

I awoke to my shoulder being shaken. I tried to fight the consciousness; the dream, and its happy feelings fade. "Come on Lilly. You gotta get up, we're here," A male voice said, a hand still shaking my shoulder. I gave up as the last of the dream left me, listening to the command to wake. I sighed seldom were my dreams pleasant, and this stranger had to go and end it, I grumbled to myself.  
The male moved aside as I removed myself from the vehicle. I looked at the place he had brought me. 'This is what he called a safe-house?' I thought to myself.

When one imagines the words safe-house they conjure up an image that's the exact opposite to this place. There was nothing safe about the termite ridden front deck, or the half rotten and peeled wood siding. The roof sloped in as if ready crumble any second. It resembled a tiny forgotten shack that would feature in a horror flick. The farther inside we got the worse things became. Trash built up in corners, the carpet was so grimy, and flat, not to mention the smell. Although you couldn't see them, the fragrance of rotting carcasses was a palpable force in the air. I used the neck of my shirt to protect my nose as I let him lead me through the decrepit building.

"Is this what you consider a safe house?" I asked my voice muffled by my shirt.

"Would you expect people to be hiding out here?" I supposed he was right. There was no way I would have thought someone were living here.

"You never told me your name," I sated. God knows how much he knew about me and I didn't even have his name.

"Oh my bad, I'm Darren." He replied leading me across a hallway toward a bedroom. This room was no better than the rest of the house. Darren crossed the room garbage crunching under his boots.

I watched him as he sauntered over to a large wooden wardrobe. His fitted leather jacket showed offed his broad shoulders and his dark acid washed jeans hugged him just right. The biker boots and driving gloves paired with something I couldn't quite place gave him a sharp dangerous edge.

The realization I had just checked him out hit me, causing my ears to flame red with embarrassment. I turned away distracting myself with attempting to find a sign that someone lived here. After viewing the moth eaten, mold cover mattress was on the verge of imploding in a cloud of poisonous smoke.

"Are you looking for Narnia?" I asked finished with waiting for him to finish searching the wardrobe, I wanted out of this hell hole.

From inside the closet came his deep laugh, "Not quite," he replied. Just then the whooshing sound of a sliding door spiked my interest. Avoiding the mattress I snuck in for a closer look.Behind Darren where the wall should have been a passage with stairs lead down into darkness. A spike of anxiety shot through me as movie murder scenes flashed through my mind. Had he brought me here to kill me? I wondered, but instantaneously dismissed the thought. His actions spoke against him meaning me harm, but still I failed to calm my racing heart.

I didn't aware of who or what was waiting for me down there. Nor did I know enough about my escort to determine whether my assessments of his actions were correct. Backing away from the wardrobe I pointed into the awaiting abyss. "I'm not going down there."

He turned toward me, the shock evident on his face. "Why not?"

I didn't answer uncertain of what to say. If I told him the truth of my fears he would try to calm them with words I had no trust in. What good would come of that? I stared at him as I racked my brain for a response, but he beat me to the punch.

"The only safe place for you is down there. They founded this place for people like you. Nothing bad will happen, I promise." His gaze held mine, sincerity shinning in his hazel green eyes. I returned his gaze knowing mine was full of worry. My gut urged me to trust him, to follow him but my mind rebelled. My mind was torn between the two feelings.

Before I had sorted through the conflicting war in my mind a voice floated up the stairs. "Back so soon Dare?" Startled I turned toward the sound in time to witness the ascendance of the voices owner. Shock resonated through my body; the person who had emerged was.... Darren?

"Hey Travis," Darren greeted the doppelgänger. They're twins, my brain filled in for me. I had never seen twins before, at least not in person. "This is the new girl," he said gesturing toward me.

"So you're the one Ching won't stop blabbering about. Hey, I'm Travis," Travis said moving past his brother, and holding out a hand. "Please to meet you."

I pulled myself out of my shock and shook his hand, "Hi," the greeting came out meek and unsure. Something was off about this second Darren. My gut didn't urging me to trust him, in fact quite the opposite; I wanted to get as far away from him as possible.

His appearance was respectable. He looked far more cleaned up than Darren. Travis was wearing a knitted gray sweater and his face was clean shaven, he almost looked like someone you'd find at Starbucks writing poetry. Meanwhile Darren looked more like they guy you would find hanging around outside a bar near the motorcycles whistling at girls. At first glance Travis looked trustworthy, so why did I feel the need to run?

I didn't have time to inspect my emotions any further because Travis grabbed my arm and pulled me toward the open door in the wardrobe. I tried to fight against his grasped digging my heels into the floor. My attempts didn't even faze him; Travis was strong, freakishly strong. Fear snaked around my heart squeezing till I swore it would burst. I looked to Darren for help but all he offered was a small encouraging smile as he followed us to the stairs.

Darkness engulfed me as the door slid shut behind us. My breath caught in my throat at the moment of blindness before lights flickered on. Harsh fluorescent light flooded the stairs eradicating every last bit of darkness. With visibility restore Travis once again dragged me forward. His grip was too tight on my wrist, looking down I could already see the bruise forming under his hand. He tugged me forward his long stride had to keep up with. I whimpered as pain shot through my wrist at the rough action.

The descent was long, and I wondered how far underground we travelled. By the time we reached the bottom stair my wrist was numb and the fear that gripped my heart had dissipated. I no longer felt the desire to flee from Travis' presence, though that's not to say my uneasiness was completely abolished.

The dark abyss we descended to wasn't as scary as my imagination led me to believe either. In fact the place was rather homey. Dark laminate insulated the floors and the walls – although still cement – were painted a warm tan. a small cherry wood table even sat at the bottom of the stair holding fresh flowers. This place appeared totally normal. Besides being ten feet underground I laughed to myself.

At last Travis released my hand, and instantly I pulled it in close rubbing out the pain. "Welcome home!" He said opening his arms gesturing to the place. I took another look around noticing the unique pictures that hung on the walls.

Was this place truly safe? Could I trust these people? I silently pondered. My thoughts were still divided. It wasn't like I could turn around now even if I made it all the way up those stairs I had no clue where I was. I was stuck here for now.

Just then my stomach rumbled loud enough for everyone to hear. Reminding me that my last meal had been lunch the day prior. Embarrassment turned my ears red at the sound, which only to deepen in colour as Travis laughed

"Follow me, we'll grab a snack." Darren said his hand landing on my shoulder ushering me down a hall to the right.

"You guys do that, and I'll tell everyone our new guest arrived." Travis called as he walked off in the other direction.

Darren walked much slower than his brother allowing me to take in my surroundings. On every wall hung a picture; some showed happy scenes with bright faces, others held documents, the rest looked to be a child's artwork. I there was no order in the arrangement of the photos it seemed as though the designer randomly picked each piece.

It felt like hours passed in the span it had taken us to arrive at the kitchen. The hallways stretched on forever, with more branching off in every direction. The place was a labyrinth I would have gotten lost if Darren had not been leading me. Darren didn't utter a single syllable on the way, perhaps letting me take things in, but the silence didn't help sped things up.

When we finally reached the kitchen it felt like I had found utopia. The air was filled with the aroma of herbs and baked bread. The aroma wrapped around me my stomach letting out a rumble with the promise of food so close.

We weren't alone in the kitchen, my stomach alerting the room's current occupant to our arrival. The woman in the room was gorgeous, so tall with brown hair that cascaded down her shoulders like a chocolate waterfall. She had a figure I would kill for and she floated around with a grace I could never hope to master. Envy stabbed through me as I watched her head snap up in our direction.

"Hey Julia," Darren greeted her. A smile grew on her lips as she turned to us. The grin showing off set of perfectly straight white teeth. "This is Lilly." He introduced me laying a hand on my shoulder and pushing me inside the room. I waved at her meekly.

"Welcome Lilly, I'm just making diner. Should be ready in about fifteen minutes, we're having lasagna." She told me enthusiastically, my stomach rumbled back with the same enthusiasm. She chuckled, "Help yourself to a snack, but not too much you don't want to ruin your appetite."

"Thank you, I won't." I replied. I was thankful for Darren cause at that moment I didn't think I could move. It was as if a wall of awkwardness was holding me back, telling me it would be rude to trespass into her kitchen to eat while she was cooking. Darren was unaffected by the wall and went straight to the fridge. He pulled out banana, gesturing to the fruit as if asking if I wanted it. I nodded; the thought of the banana destroyed the wall. Bananas had been my favourite food as a kid, mom even used to call me her little monkey. I hadn't eaten one since she died, the orphanage never let me. I could already imagine how amazing it would taste as I walked over to grab the fruit.

As I took my snack from him as Darren removed a water bottle from the fridge, taking a long chug before returning the bottle to its place. A bit of the bottles contents fell out at the corner of his mouth. Darren whipped away the strange dark liquid before sending a thank you to Julia and directing us out of the kitchen.

I followed him down the hall for a few minutes enjoying my banana, letting my mind touch on the recipes my mom owned that included bananas. Disappointment filled me as the last piece disappeared. The snack hadn't lasted long enough, and I stared at the empty peel wishing more would magically appear. With I sigh I looked up to notice Darren examining me a bemused smile on his face

"What?" I asked him. The sound came out inaudible, and I was forced to swallow. "What?" I repeated when my mouth was clear.

"Nothing, you should record yourself eating next time. It's quite entertaining." He chuckled.

I frowned at him. "He'd act no different if it was his favourite food he hadn't eaten in ten years," I grumbled under my breath as my ears turned red. I didn't like being analyzed when I ate, exceptionally when I was devouring the food as I just did. "Where are we going now?" I asked hoping to change the subject.

"I'm going to show to your room before diner." He replied leading me up a beautiful u-shaped stairway with intricately carved handles.

"And where is that?"

"Not too far," he replied steering me down a new hallway. With each turn he took I felt myself growing more and more lost. I had been looking forward to time alone in a room to sort through all that happened, but now I was hoping he wouldn't leave. If Darren left me alone there was no doubt I'd be stranded until he came back for me. I didn't understand how he navigated this maze so effortlessly; if I ever thought of going someone alone I'd be lost in an instant.

Despite the overwhelming dizziness I endured the walk to my room went faster. Darren pointed out doors to people's rooms and hallways that lead down to different areas I'd want to remember. I forgot all of it as he said it, but figured I would have time to learn my way around.

"Here we are," Darren said bring my attention to the mahogany wood door identical to the other doors. I must place something on it if I plan to find this room again I thought to myself as I reached out to opened the door.

 

There was nothing memorable about the room. The walls were the average eggshell white, on the far left side sat a bed with tan covers and a small pine dresser beside it. The room was colourless it made the room creepy and uninviting. I needed to add to this room, I thought as I took in the space. But with what? I had brought nothing me all I owned now was my mother journal. Until that moment I hadn't realized just how much I lost. It wasn't like I had a lot before, but now looking around at this room the weight of all I'd lost crashed down on me. Turning around I hoped to distract myself with conversation to notice Darren hadn't followed me into the room. I looked around down the hall for him but found no trace of him.

 

Moving back into the room I closed the door behind me, loneliness filling me for the first time. My life had changed in such a short time; everything I knew – gone - every comfort I counted - on miles away, only uncertainty left. As I sat there with nothing to distract myself with I felt the emotion consume me. Lost in its poisonous embrace I wished Darren would come back and save me from this haunting sensation. If I left I would go insane lost in the endless twists and turns of this safe house and if I stayed here I'd be engulfed by depression.

I couldn't decide which was worse. So I laid on the bed holding my mother journal to my chest wishing I could go back to before I'd read her letter. I imagined what I'd be doing if I hadn't run away from the only home I'd ever truly known. Closing my eyes hoped to help block out the surrounding nothingness and sharpen the image of normalcy in my mind. I wished this pain would go away, I wished my mom was still here

****

_"Alright children, everyone to the reading circle please." Said Ms. Mulberry. She was a tall woman, with bright red lipstick and warm brown eyes. She always spoke so nicely to us, like she understood what most adults didn't. I turned toward her, placing the doll I was playing with back onto the shelf and heading in her direction. She was sitting in a big red corduroy arm chair tucked into the far most left corner. Her curly brown hair was tied back and a large paperback sat on her knees. Surrounding the chair was a round rainbow knitted circle with 15 little bean chairs of varying colours._

_I followed the flow of my classmates as we ran for the chairs. We had been reading the story for the past week and it was getting so interesting, it was a mystery novel about this young boy on a train where he had to solve a murder. He was getting close to finishing the mystery and learning who the criminal was. Reading time was always my favourite, I loved books. Mom helped me read the books I had at home, I knew the stories so well that I was starting to recognize the words. Even my homework books were getting easier to read, I could read most of those on my own._

_I had settled into a lime green chair near the outside of the carpet when an announcement came over the P.A. "Sorry for the interruption but can Lilly Saunders come to the office please, Lilly Saunders to the office, thank you." I was startled to hear my name; why did I have to go to the office. Only bad kids went to the office, I hadn't done anything wrong. I always followed the rules._

_I looked toward Ms. Mulberry, she looked as startled as I felt. "Alright Lilly, you herd the announcement off you go." She gave me an encouraging smile. I nodded in acknowledgment, rising from my chair. I took a deep breath as I exited the classroom. I could hear the teachers voice as I walked down the hall, she had started to read I had to hurry so that I could get back before she finished._

_As I entered the office I was greeted by the front secretary. She was a plump, bespectacled woman with her wild red hair loosely tied into a messy bun at her neck. Her hazel eyes shone with sadness as she towered over me from her desk. Why did she look so sad? Did something happen to her? Mom said that when people were sad they needed comfort and reassurance. "It's gonna be okay," I said, as I looked up at the woman giving her a smile I hoped was comforting. I must have failed because she only got sadder._

_Tears filled her eyes and she looked down on me. I got the feeling she wasn't sad for herself, and dread washed through me. "I'm sure it will be honey." Those were the last words she said as she ushered me into the fish bowl office of Principle McMichen._

_Mr. McMichen sat at his desk, his short black hair gelled back from his face. He had nearly black eyes that felt as those they were stealing my soul as I looked into them. I got the same air of sadness from him as I had the secretary woman out front. "Have a seat Lilly," He said in that adult tone, the one that adults used to little kids. The tone that suggested they were better than you, that while they tried to sound nice they were really just talking down at you. I wasn't a baby, I hated that tone for insisting that I was. My gaze followed his out stretched hand toward the two black leather arm chairs that sat in front of his mahogany desk._

_One of the chairs was already occupied by an older woman. She looked to be almost 50, but she wore so much make-up in an attempt to hid her wrinkles that it was hard to tell her age for sure. Her hair was a bottle black, that stood out like a red dot on a white wall, and she wore a boring, ugly, grey jumpsuit. I took the seat next to her, my feet dangling off the end of the too tall chair._

_"Thank you for joining us Lilly. I'm afraid I have some bad news," The principle paused. His expression looked pained, and just as I was sure he was to hurt to continue he switched gears. "But first let me introduce the woman next to you. This is Ms. Jenner from Lyle Orphanage, she's a social worker who deals with tragic cases..." He paused again, the same pain dancing across his features before he rained it in. "Do you know what an orphanage or a social worker is?"_

_I looked from him to the lady – Ms. Jenner – and back again confused. "An orphanage is a place for kids without parents go to wait for moms and dads. A social worker is someone who finds kids who need help and helps them find what they need." I answered. Mom had explained this to me earlier this year when we had watched Annie together._

_"That's right Lilly, you're very smart." He smiled at me, but it was a sad smile that didn't reach his eyes. I was starting to get aggravated. Why was he pestering me with questions about orphanages and what was this Ms., Jenner doing here, and what was so horrible that they had to pull me away from class during story time!_

_Seeming to sense my irritation and Mr. McMichen's discomfort Ms. Jenner turned to speak to me. "Lilly I have bad news about your mom." Her voice was cold, and despite the layer of concern I could tell she didn't care about the words she was saying. "There was an accident at your house, it seemed your mother had been cooking and left the stove unattended. A fire broke out and the house was destroyed." She paused as if to see if I was following her. I knew the words she was saying, but they didn't make sense. My mom didn't cook, she couldn't cook. She let my great aunt do all the cooking, but when Lauren went out of town like this week we ordered take out. Why would mom have attempted to cook today? "I'm sorry Lilly, but your mom was caught in the fire. She didn't make it, I'm sorry but your mom is dead." I looked up at her sharply, what? Dead?_

_"That's impossible, you're a liar. A big fat rotten lair. Apologize old lady, my moms not dead, there was no fire. I know my mom; my mom doesn't cook!" I shouted at her jumping up from the chair and backing away. There was no way her words could be true; they just couldn't be._

_"Calm down Lilly, I know it's hard to accept but..." Mr. McMichen tired to interject. I let loose my best glare at him, he cut of mid sentence._

_"You're all lairs, I hate you all. I'll find my mom and show you. I'll show you all that she's alright! I'll show you!" I shouted, running from the room and out the front door of the school. I had to make it home, I had to find mom, I had to prove them wrong. Their horrible words, weren't true, they just weren't._

_"Lilly!" I herd them calling behind me. "Lilly, come on!" I ran harder I had to get away. "Lilly! Wake up already!" Wake up, yes this had to be a dream. That would prove they were wrong because they would never had said what they said._

_"Lilly!" The voice was so loud this time. It shook the world, the asphalt cracking near my feet. I turned the corner toward the stairs and ran right into Darren. His hands gripped my shoulder. "Lilly! Wake up!" He shouted. He's hand shook me, the world shaking with them. The enclosure around the stairs collapsing and falling away, replaced with darkness. "Please Lilly wake up," with a final shake the world around me fell away, I felt myself falling with it._

I bolted awake screaming the only thing stopping my limbs from flailing about was the weight holding them down. Tears stung my eyes the pain as raw and real as it had been that day. The weight that had been holding me steady released me and I was able sit up.

I looked to the person sitting next to me; the picture blurred my incoming tears "Darren?" I said my tears a thick tone in my voice. Before I was able to stop myself I had clung to him bawling, my tears ruining his shirt

"Lilly? What's wrong?" He asked. I didn't respond I just held onto him. Darren didn't push me away; instead he rubbed my back tried to comfort me a gesture obviously foreign to him.

He let me cry myself dry without interruption. When my emotions were finally containable I moved away from him wiping at my eyes. "I'm sorry," I hear the tears in my voice. I felt so embarrassed that I let my emotions grab a hold of me like that.

He waved off my apology, concern written throughout his expression. "Are you alright?"


	5. Daydream

Daydream

For reason outside my knowledge I told Darren about my dream, about my mom, and about my escape from the orphanage. Once I spoke I couldn't to stop, and he listened. He didn't interrupt, he didn't tell me I'd been stupid or belittle what I'd experienced, he just listened. Darren didn't have to, it's not why he'd gone to my room, but he did it anyway. I guess that's when I gave into my gut feeling and trusted him. Mistake or not I figured it was the least I could do after he sat there and listened to me spill my gawd.

The original reason Darren had come to my room was to help me find my way to the mess hall for dinner. It was the first time I would meet everyone, and I was petrified. What if they didn't like me? Would they throw me out, or worse, sell me to the Cabals?

"Relax, you've got nothing to fear." Darren said placing a hand on my head. I looked up at him trying to return his smile. I took a deep breath in attempt to feel confident and secure before walking into the dining hall.

As Darren opened the door all eyes turned toward us. Everyone was already sitting enjoying their meals meaning we were the last to arrive. I cursed my stupid emotions and unruly tongue. It wouldn't have been so awkward had we shown up on time for diner.

"Lilly!" Suddenly a short Asian man jumped out of his seat. He was by far the oldest of the group, but his voice was not quiet. I jumped at his outburst and froze as he moved toward me. The man latched onto my arm shaking it ferociously as he spoke in rushed none sense.

"That's Ching," Darren whispered in my ear. The name rang a bell, wasn't he the one Travis had mentioned?

"Calm down Ching, you're scaring the poor girl." A deep authoritative voice called out. I traced the origin of the sound to a man sitting at the head of the table.

"Sorry Roger, Sorry Lilly," Ching apologized releasing my hand and moving back toward his seat.

"You two grab some food, we can start introductions once you're seated." Roger said, turning toward us. He wore a friendly smile, but I barely noticed it over the bizarre colour of his eyes. They were these perfectly silver orbs that seemed to glow. Had not been for Darren's hand on my back guiding me to the food I would have foolishly gawked at the man.

They must think I'm rude I thought miserably while filling my plate. What a terrible first impression to make. I vowed to behave better while eating, I would do no more gawking.

Once Darren and I were settled into the last two available chairs Roger regained focus over the group. "As you all know we have a new member in our midst. Lilly will be staying with as from now on as one of our comrades. To be comrades one must first know the persons name so I'll make this simple. In a clockwise fashion you will introduce yourselves. Name, Power, and whatever else you care to share with our guest, but make it short I would like to eat sometime this century." The Roger said standing as he looked around the table; everyone nodded their understanding, I just sat there staring. Had I heard that right? Did he just say power? "My name's Roger, I am Malachi Half Demon and founder of this organization." Taking his seat he nodded to the person on his right.

Next to him sat Julia whom I had already meet. "Hi I'm Julia, I am a Witch, Earth Demon hybrid." Her beauty stunned me as it had when we'd meet in the kitchen, but I found I could barely focus on her. Demon? Those don't exist unless... no, that crazy I thought stopping the thought. It crept in anyway; is the unbelievable truth mother wrote about was this, the supernatural?

"I'm Clary," A little girl no older than six said. She had the most beautiful silky blonde curls I'd ever seen. Her azure eyes shone with happiness as she smiled brightly at me. It was a smile I couldn't help but return. "And I'm a witch." Her voice held pride as she identified her power. Could this be real? Could there really be such things as witches and demons? This little girls smile sure said so.

Next to her sat a man with the same blue eyes. His hair was a shade darker and cut very short. "I'm Mark, Clary's father, I'm a Shaman." He gave me a kind smile before turning to give his little girl the most affectionate look I'd ever seen.

Beside him was the older man that had greeted me when I had entered. "Hello, I'm Ching and I am a prophet." He said, his ascent waved throughout his enthusiastic tone.

I was sitting next to him, it took me a minute to realized it was my turn. By the time I spoke anxiety had caused my heart beat to escalate and a stutter to take over my speech. "Um..I"m l-l-Lilly, and um...ugh," I froze, I didn't have a power I didn't even believe in magic powers. I couldn't say that, but I had to say something they were all waiting. "I..um..I'm a ... ugh... I don't know," I finally admit hanging my head in embarrassment. It was better than saying I didn't believe in what they were.

"I'm Darren, and I'm a vampire." Darrens voice came from beside me. Shock broke my cloud of humiliation. Darren was a vampire? Those exist! Does that mean that water bottle Darren drank from earlier was...

"I'm Travis, and I'm also a vampire." Travis voice broke thoughts. I felt less shock this time, I suppose it was natural since they were twins. I wondered how old they were? Wrong question I chastised myself. I was starting to accept this. It was too fast but it was as if it were something I'd already believed in. I was losing my mind.

Next to Travis was a man with pitch black hair. He was massive and a scar marred the right side of his face. His voice came out as more over a grunt, making me doubt that he spoke often. 'Derek, werewolf." The shock was minimal, if there were vampire why not werewolves. Why couldn't they all exist, what made me so sure that they didn't? I didn't have answer for that.

"Good, now let's eat!" Roger said excitedly digging into his food. Everyone else followed suit, but I found my earlier appetite had disappeared. I stared at my plate pushing the delicious looking food around as my mind spun in circles. It was too much for me to handle. It wasn't so much what they were saying or the mention of it that was making my mind swim but how eager I was to accept it all.

"Lilly? Are you alright?" I flinched at the sound of Darren's voice. Darren the vampire, the blood sucking vampire. Did he kill people like a modern day Dracula or did he kill animals like in new aged teen books? Darren noticed noticed my flinch, and although he concealed it fast I say the hurt as it danced through his eyes.

I instantly felt horrible. Here was this guy who had just listened to my word vomit problems, who had just held and comforted me while I cry, hurt because I couldn't handle the fact that he could be something other than human. "I'm fine, just not as hungry as I thought I was." I tried to smile at him, but I knew the action looked forced. He nodded his head not prying any further.  


********  
Roger pulled me aside after the meal, and guilt washed through me as I felt relieved for having an excuse to avoid Darren. He'd been nothing but kind to me, he saved my butt and held me when I cried, not once had he looked at me as food and yet here I was treating him like dirt just because I found out he wasn't some regular non-human person. I sighed, my cheeks puffing slightly before deflating as I breathed out.

"The only way our system works here is by everyone pitching in. We have a chore chart; the chores rotate so you should know what you've got based on what you did previously. We all live together as a family, and families help each other out. You haven't really had a chance to find your place yet and I'm sure you'll need a guide just to keep up with all the happenings so I'll have you shadow someone for the next week or until you feel comfortable." Pausing, his silver eyes assessed whether I was following along with his speech. I nodded my head in confirmation. At the orphanage I'd never had chores, only extensive training and classes, I just knew I would be a mess if he'd just thrown me into the fray. Shadowing someone would be so helpful. "I noticed you seem rather close with Darren I'm sure he wouldn't mind -" He cut off and he noticed me frantically shaking my head. "Alright," He said slowly, confusion shining in his magnesium orbs. "I could always ask Julia; she's always complaining about needing an extra hand. Any objections?" He turned to look at me, guilt washed through me again as I realized I'd have preferred Darren, I was just too chicken to face him now that I knew. Julia had seemed nice when we'd met before supper, she would have to do until I could muster up my courage to talk with Darren normally again. "Alright I'll talk to her, for now head to the training room you can watch the spell training it can be quite interesting." Humour shone out of his eyes as his mouth curved up into a smile, he handed me a small map with instructions to the room written down.

After a series of lefts, rights and roundabouts I finally found the door labeled Training Center; they were 9ft, double black doors with a keypad to the side.

                                                                              

I clicked the OPEN button, causing the massive doors to slide into the walls releasing blinding sunlight into the hallway. I stepped inside the room with one hand shielding my eyes, the two doors slide shut behind me leaving a seamless scenery and a floating keypad behind. The scenery looked so real like I could reach out and not feel the cold steel of the black doors. My hand was poised to reach out but before my fingers met the door a child's shriek pierced the air. I spun toward the noise my eyes taking in more breathtaking, realistic beauty that made up the room. In the center of what appeared to be a tiny clearing in an endless forest was Julia, Clary, and Mark. Clary the young witch was a puddle of screaming tears, beside her Mark was trying to calm her his hands rubbing circles into her tiny shoulders. Julia stood to the right of them hands at her side, her face twisted with exasperation as she stared down at the toddler.

Without a moment's thought I walked over to the troubled trio, and kneeled down next to the sobbing blonde. "Hello Clary, I'm Lilly. Are you having trouble with something?" I asked. She looked up at me her big blue eyes swimming with tears.

"I c-can't s-sa-say t-the w-wo-words w-wight." She said hiccupping as she tried to speak through the sobs.

"I often have trouble with words to," I told her. "When I was little I stuttered really bad, all my words get jumbled and mixed up. People would treat me really bad for it, but with practice I eventually got it under control. And I know that with practice you can get this word right to, and cast the best spell ever." I smiled at the little girl who looked up at me with shock.

"Y-you had trouble t-too? Y-you think I-I c-can d-do it?" She sniffed her nose, her eyes searching my face for signs of a lie or disbelief.

"I absolutely think you can," I replied tucking a hair behind her ear. She smiled up at me the tears stopping.

With her eyes still red and swollen she sniffed on final time. "I'll try again," I could see a determination in her eyes as she faced Julia ready to master the words she needed to cast the spell. Looking away from her I noticed Mark staring at me.

"What?" I asked self consciously.

"I've never seen someone handle Clary so well since her mother passed. She doesn't listen to anyone when she gets like that." Mark said as he rained in his shocked expression. I looked toward Clary who was working on a vowel sounds, all presence of the early tears forgotten.

"I think she just needed to know success was possible and that someone outside her family, someone unbiased believed in her. I remember how hard it was for me to learn Latin at her age." I said, the memories of all the hours I'd been drilled by merciless professors. It was so different than the way Julia was teaching her and the support Clary had from her father.

"You were taught Latin? As such a young child?" Surprise once again marred Marks features.

"Yea, the orphanage I grew up in taught me all sorts of languages, and drilled me in all sorts of Pagan practices. I'm fluent in Latin, Greek, and Hebrew." I said as I sat down against one of the trees. Mark looked at me a little longer with his mouth agape before he turned back to watching his daughters practice. As we lapsed into silence my mind began to wander, wondering what it would be like to be a witch to be able to call forth the elements to do my bidding.

_I stood in the clearing alone, I could feel the earth, the wind, all of their life and energy. Their power filled me and mixed with in me. I felt invincible, confident, and connected._ If this is what it was like to be a witch how she would love to feel like this all the time.  _I decided to flex the power I felt within, calling upon my memories of all the rituals and speeches I had been forced to learn. First I called upon the Earth asking it bend to my will to follow my desires and molding it into a small mound 3ft high, the ground surrounding the base indented from the movement of earth. Taking a deep breath, I focused on drawing the energy out of me and focusing it into my hand asking the universe to grant my wishes and allow me to tap into its power. Within moments a crackling ball of wild energy swirled within my hands. Calling for the universe to grant my bolt speed and accuracy I released the bolt sending it flying toward the mound. As it made purchase the ball expanded weaving an intricate pattern into the rock and then exploding debris flying in all directions away from the point of impact._ It was at this point that a scream woke me from my daydream.

I spun toward the noise, seeing Clary - mouth still agape - held by her father, Julia sitting behind them sheltering herself. Confused I turned back, trying to find what they were so afraid of. What I found was the chard base of an earth made mound surrounded by indents matching perfectly from my dream.

"I think we just figured out your talent." Julia stated, her eyes darting between me and the destroyed earth.

Mark looked up at me with shock. "She looks nothing like a witch, we all thought she'd turn out to be a necromancer or a shaman." He spoke to Julia, his arms still wrapped around Clary trying to protect her. She didn't need protection, I wasn't a witch, I didn't destroy that mound. There had to be some other explanation.

"He's right, there is no way I could be... I would have noticed... it's impossible..." I blurted out trying to find proof against Julia's claim. Yet I couldn't find any way to solidly refute that I had been the one to build and destroy the mound.

"I say we have Roger take a look at her, maybe he can give her the test. Then we'll know for sure if she's a witch or not, she might even be an elemental demon." Julia stated, her gaze piercing right into me. I looked at all of their faces. Mark looked weary almost afraid, Julia guarded and uneasy, and Clary's eyes were filled with awe. What test was she talking about? How would it tell Roger what I was, and how I did whatever it was I did? As the answers passed through my mind I realized it didn't matter because I wanted to know what I was just as bad as they did. I was just as afraid of myself as Mark was, and I was willing to do whatever they wanted to find out what was going on with me.

"I want to know to. Let's go see Roger," I stated, cutting off Mark from replying to Julia. All eyes focused on me, Julia and Mark nodding before standing and walking back toward the floating keypad.

I watched in silence as Julia typed in a code, the room turning into a four walled cement room. All signs of the previous forestry gone. The door opened and we marched single file back down the hallways toward Rogers office. I felt like a criminal on trial as I followed Julia to Roger's office, and despite Clary's attempts to comfort and reassure me – against her father's will – I felt no relief. Only the answer to the test would make me feel better, to know what I was and begin to learn to control it, to know I wasn't going to accidentally attack a friend in some daydream.

Julia knocked on the wooden door blocking Rogers office. "You may enter," came Roger's voice from the other side. We stepped into the room, he sat behind a desk papers spread out around him and a small laptop open on the right hand corner. "Such serious faces, something unpleasant happened?" Roger asked, his silver eyes scanning all of us.

"I want you to administer the test to Lilly." Julia stated, her voice commanding. Confusion settled over Rogers features.

"Julia... you know what that entails, what reason do you have for demanding such from me?"

"She manipulated the training room, she caused it to bend and fade, she called upon the elements in such fluent Latin and Greek, better than I have ever seen, then she attacked. She built a solid ball of energy – purple energy – and threw it. Shard of whatever she conjured with the room flew everywhere but at her. It was terrifying Roger! She could have killed us, I've never seen power on her level before, I don't even know if it's controllable. What if she's a new phase in their experiments, we need to know what she is, what we can expect from her." Julia's voice rose with every sentence, panic and anger filling her tone. Mark nodded along with every word, his grip tightening on his daughter. Roger took in her story, listening attentively and pausing to absorb what she said. Silver orbs appraised me as he thought.

"I want to know as well. I am willing to do whatever you need me to do, I just want to know what happened." I said, meeting his silky gaze.

"You don't deny anything Julia said? Do you know what this  _test_ means?"

"I don't know if everything she said is true, I was dreaming when it happened – fantasizing; and I don't know what your  _test_ is but I want to know what I am, what I am capable of. I know I'm not human, and I'll do anything to know what that means."

"Alright. I'll work on setting things up, as for tonight everyone just relax. There's no need to panic just yet, we'll all talk at dinner and tomorrow Julia, and Lilly I'll see you so we can begin the test." With that he dismissed us. Julia looked satisfied as she exited, and Mark gave me one resigned look before tugging his daughter down the hall. I stood outside the office for a while unsure of what to do, before I really gave it thought I headed back to the training room.

I clicked the open button on the keypad, and stood at the threshold looking at the cement box room. No sunlight came streaming out, there was no trees, no grass. But in the far corner was black marks. The marks matched the design that showed moments before the mound in my vision had been destroyed. I walked toward it, the doors sliding shut behind me, their large black presence staying, the keypad not floating but embedded next to it in the cement. I ran my fingers along the carbon staining on the grey walls and found that the designs had been carved into the grey walls.

"Come to check out the scene of the crime, huh?" A deep voice came from the door startling me. I jumped, turning toward the sound. My pounding heart calmed as I took in the figure by the door.

"What are you doing here?" I asked standing up and walking over to him. I still felt guilty for earlier, having shied away from him. A small part of me was still afraid of him, but it was overshadowed by the larger part that was glad to see him.

"I spoke with Roger, he thought you might need a person to hang with and show you around." He offered me a warm smile.

An uneasiness filled me, "You spoke with Roger? So you heard what happened?"

"I heard something unpleasant happened at training this afternoon, no specifics though. He said we'd all talk over dinner. Don't worry I won't pry, not my place, can't say I'm not curious though." Darren replied, a lopsided grin growing on his face. I smiled back, a little timidly my uneasiness slowly fading.

The rest of the afternoon breezed by and in no time I was sitting amongst the group, Roger told them about the afternoon's events, about the plans for the test and all of their eyes filled with uncertainty and fear. As I went to bed that night my mind was filled with those stares, and my heart heavy with my own fears. Everyone was terrified of whatever this test would entail but I knew it was the only way I would be able to begin to understand my new life.


	6. Urgency

_"Lilly? Are you ready darling?" The voice called from outside the bathroom door. I starred at it quietly, I felt empty, hazy. As I turned toward the mirror, I could see the same emotion looking back at me. My green eyes were cold and glossy, my skin taut and pale, someone had tied my hair back into a braid. My dress was black, and it matched the ribbons tying my hair._

_'Mom didn't like black,' I thought to myself as I looked in the mirror._

_"Lilly? It's time to go say goodbye now." A knock followed the voice. My sigh was shaky with barely kept tears as I opened the door._

_"I'm ready," She was the same woman who had come to my school. All dressed in black, she grabbed my hand. It wasn't a comforting gesture, neither was her attempted look of concern. 'She looks like a witch from the story mom used to read me' I thought as I followed her out the door of the orphanage. A black SUV was waiting to take them to the cemetery._

_"Mom doesn't like cemeteries" I told the witch lady. "She always told me to avoid them, do I have to go?"_

_She gave me a sharp pointed look. "You want to say goodbye, don't you?" I nodded, she huffed out an annoyed sigh. "Then you have to go."_

_I stared down at the wooden casket as they began piling dirt onto it. They had said my mom died in a fire, the whole house was gone. I knew that meant the box was empty, it seemed foolish to burry and empty box. When I voiced my thought, I received another annoyed sigh, "It's what's done" was the only reply I got._

_I didn't want to leave, even as the witch lady pulled on my arm I resisted. She got me to the parking lot before the world started to shake._

_'Cemeteries are dangerous places, full of people waiting to wake. If too many wake at once the very earth will split open. That's why the teens refused to enter, for they knew, they could tip the balance and the earth would break open.'_

_"It's the sleeping people, they've come to get us!" I yelled frightened at the witch lady yanking on my arm._

_"Don't be ridiculous, just get in the car."_

_"No!" I fought harder. Mom's story was coming true, we were all going to die. I pulled harder. "Let go!" I looked level into her face, using all my strength. Finally, free I ran back toward the cemetery._

_"Lilly!" a loud voice called to me from the cemetery._

_"I'm coming!" I shouted back. Picking up my pace, trying not to fall on the quivering ground._

_"Lilly!" The voice was so loud this time, it shook the world, the asphalt cracking near my feet. I turned away from the split asphalt, jumping through the gate of the cemetery. I looked behind me as I ran, noticing the crevasse getting wider. Suddenly I tripped instead of falling I was caught; I looked up to thank my saviour – Darren?_

_"Lilly! Wake up!" He shouted. He's hand shook me, the world shaking with them. The gates shook and squealed before collapsing and falling away. The parking lot, the beginning of the cemetery had all been replaced with darkness. And the abyss was growing, coming right for me. "We have to go come on!" with a final shake the world around me fell away, I felt myself falling with it._

My eyes opened to find Darren's face inches from mine. "Finally," he breathed out, hazel orbs full of urgency and relief. "Come on, we have to leave! Now!" He hissed pulling me from my bed and throwing me the jacket hanging from my bed post. I followed him to the door, slipping on my sneakers as we passed. "Keep your shirt over your nose. No matter what, don't breathe in the air." He slipped into the hall his hand gripped tightly over mine.

The hall was so thick with smoke as we exited that I couldn't see more than a few inches in front of me. Had Darren not been leading I wouldn't have been able to move. An alarm sounded, sending orange flashes throughout the fog as Darren lead me through a winding tunnel. My vision began to blur, my limbs feeling heavier by the minute, my mind barely clear enough to question what was happening. Darren stopped so suddenly I slammed into him, nearly falling to the ground. He spun to catch me as my legs gave out under me. I was never much of a quick riser, but I had never felt so tired and groggy before. I felt fabric go over my nose and mouth, the sensation confusing my sleep clogged brain. I looked up at Darren in time to see a dark shadow pass by us, a gun pointing off down the opposite hall. Once the figure had disappeared into the fog Darren made a show of me holding the fabric to my face before pulling me along behind him once more.

We had to stop for the armed shadows a handful of times before we reached the training room. The doors keypad shone the letters ERC in red block letters. Darren punched in a series of numbers, the combination causing the letters to flash green for a moment. Once the door closed they went back to red. The training room looked different this time. Instead of an open field we were standing in a small wooden shack. It reminded me of the kind of place you'd find next to a dock, where a fisherman might keep his hooks and bait boxes. On the other end was another door. A voice started counting down from 5 as Darren pulled me toward the door. I wanted to call out that the door wasn't real, but as the voice hit one Darren shoved us through it. We landed in a cement tunnel; abandoned sewer drain, my brain supplied as I looked around the filthy damp walls and the walkways lining a crevasse in the centre. The dark-haired vampire pulled me along the dank tunnel. For several minutes he had us rush without rest, my breath was coming laboured and I was certain I would collapse if I had to continue any longer. Just when it seemed my legs would give out we reached the end of the tunnel. A ladder lead up to the roof, and Darren didn't give me a second to rest before huffing me up onto the ladder and urging me forward. We emerged in a wooded forest clearing, an open shed large enough for three vehicles sat on the edge, only one truck left three bags sitting next to it.

Darren pulled me toward the evergreen jeep, stopping to shuffle through the bags. He picked up two throwing them into the back of the jeep before riffling into the third. His expression fell, eyes hardening as he investigated the bag.

"What is it?" I asked leaning over his shoulder to see what he was looking at.

"It's Travis's get away bag." He didn't seem as concerned about his twin as I would have assumed he'd be. Instead I caught a hint of anger in his voice.

"Should we wait, see if he comes up behind us?" I asked, already knowing his answer as I watched him stalk toward the car. He didn't stop turning on the car and gesturing for me to get in next to him. I rushed into the passenger seat, casting one more look at the duffle bag before we sped off.

Darren was tense as he sped down the highway, checking his mirrors every other second for a pursuing enemy. With the haze of sleep lifting and the adrenaline waning my mind began bombarding me with questions. Who were the guys with guns? What was the smoke? How did we go through an imaginary door? Where were we going? Where were the others? The questions bubbled on the edge of my tongue begging to be let loose, but I held them back waiting for Darren to relax.

My opening came about an hour into our journey. With no sign of a pursuit team Darren began to look behind us fewer and fewer, the tension in his body slowly releasing, his knuckles no longer white by the strength of his grip. In a single breathless wave, I let all my questions pour out of me.

Darren smiled lopsided at me, "Anything else you wanna ask? Maybe why the sky is blue, or what way the earth rotates?" He chuckled. I glared at him, all my questions were valid and after he woke me so urgently I deserved answers. "Alright, calm down grumpy. Geez someone's not a morning person. Let's see..." He paused as if ordering my questions for answering. "The army guys were part of the Cabal, probably come to put an end to our tiny resistance. The smoke was a sedative of sorts designed to make the nab easier, less... messy. The door wasn't imaginary it was an escape route, nothing in the training room is imaginary – each code leads to a place designed by Roger for a certain purpose. As for where we are going and where the others all, the answer lies at Louie's Ranch."

"Louie's Ranch?" I asked. Who was Louie? What did it have to do with the others – were they there?

Darren chuckled as if sensing the new stream of questions floating through my mind. "Louie was an old member of our group. He was a close friend of Rogers'; he was also a paranoid fool. He's the one who convinced Roger to build the escape route, and the secret garage with the escape packs, and the emergency lights, and the smoke detectors. He also had a ranch, it was hidden and unregistered. It appears on no records, so it makes it the perfect hide out till we can reconvene and plan." I nodded turning to look out my passenger window, his answers having satisfied my current curiosity. Music filled the silence left by the absence of my questions. Some form of metal music, from a CD collection he had pulled out of his bag.

We sat that way for hours, and eventually I found myself drifting to sleep. I let the blackness take me trusting Darren to wake me when the time came.

_I woke sitting on the porch of an old settlement era house. It was in desperate need of a paint and roof job. Sliding off the seat I moved toward the peeling railing looking out over what seemed to be an endless expanse of trees. Wind blew my hair off my shoulders, carried on it the citrus scent of oranges. It was so crisp and clean, it lured me off the porch and down the perfect rows of trees. The ground was so soft and spongy under my bare feet, the bark of the trees rough where I rubbed my hand brushed against the trucks. As I wandered the sky above me lightened, the navy-blue fading into a soft lilac, under lays of pink casting Sofía glow on the orchard. The citrus scent I had grown accustomed to beginning to shift as the scent of salt entered the air. As the salted breeze increased a new sound entered my senses; waves. Within a few minutes the grass faded away, morphing into a soft white sand. Crystal blue waves washed against it, I ventured into them, the cold water felt amazing. I stood there knee deep in the cool water watching as the sun rose over the aquatic horizon lighting up the world around me._

_"Lilly?" I heard a voice from down the beach calling. I looked over to see Darren walking toward, his signature jacket hanging over his shoulder, dark jeans rolled up to show his ankles. From his right hand dangled a pair of black converse. A smile lit my face as I rushed from the water to meet him on the sand._

_"Over here," I called back, waving a hand over my head. Catching my eye, he jogged over reaching over to grab me by the shoulders. Suddenly he started to shake me, I tried to pull away, but he held on even more tightly._

_"Lilly? C'mon, we're here." He shook me again, this time the world shook with it. Pieces of the world around me crumbled, turning to black until all that remained was the citrus and sea salt scent, and Darren's hands on my arms._

I blinked a few times as my brain fought to hold onto the dream. It had been 2:30 when we had left the hidden garage, the sun had long since risen as I had napped. As I suspected Darren had woken me as we arrived. But as I stared over his shoulder at the house behind him I felt the dream pull back at me. The house with its peeling paint, and lifting rough tiles, even the old swing bench was identical to my dream.

"Are we on an orange farm?" I asked Darren as I got out of the truck. He was already part way to the house, both duffle bags in hand.

A side smile twisted at his lips as he looked back over his shoulder at me. "Recognised the scent? Yeah, it's just around the side of the house. Leads out onto a private beach. The guy who used to own this place was in love with oranges – helped that he was a half demon with superpowers that gave him an infallible green thumb." I nodded, moving to follow him into the house.

"Where are the others?" I asked. There had been no other cars outside, and as I looked around the abandoned house the several inches of undisturbed dust suggested no one had been here in a long time.

A frown warped Darren's face as he looked around at the house. He pulled out his cell phone, moving into the other room gesturing for me to stay put.

I stood there trying to decide whether to eavesdrop on his phone call. If he were contacting the others it wouldn't make sense for him to switch rooms. If he were trying to contact his brother – who was mostly likely captured – would only endanger this safe house; I didn't think Darren would be stupid enough to put our lives in danger like that. But who else could he be calling? I inched toward the room, curiosity and paranoia urging me forward. As I reached within earshot the floor creaked, Darren's voice – which had only been a deep mumble – stopped. I scampered away from the door, I had no doubt he knew it was me, but as I feared getting caught a new thought entered my mind. What if he was calling the people who had attacked the safe house? What if the person he was calling was the Cabal?

I wanted to shake the thought from my head, call it nonsense. Darren wouldn't do that. It could mean death for everyone. But what did I actually know about Darren, about the Cabal? Only what I'd been told, that answer didn't satisfy me. When he re-emerged into the kitchen I waited for him to tell me about the conversation, trying to block the paranoid thoughts.

"Paul was leading the others out, but someone was following them, so they had to take a detour. He mentioned they'd head this way once it was safe, so to stay put. I'm sure they'll check in by morning and we'll know if the rendezvous spot has changed." As he said the words I wanted to relax, but a small part of me still wondered why he had to make that phone call alone. Still I smiled and nodded, trying to look relieved, Darren's expression told me I didn't quite pull it off.

****

There wasn't much to do; the house had no power, no running water, no books, nor games, just a lot of sitting and waiting. I spent most of the afternoon in the orchard, trying to focus on anything but my swirling thoughts. Still the fear and anxiety created thoughts of bees that stung at my mind as they spread their venom, more of the nasty thoughts invaded my mind. Were the others dead? Had Darren led the others to the safe house? Had he betrayed us? Betrayed his own twin? Was it my fault that they had gassed the place? Were they gonna find us here? Had I been the one that endangered everyone? Everything seemed so dark and hopeless, dwelling on it wasn't helping but it was hard to resist. When night finally came I was excited for the chance to escape my thoughts and hoped that like Darren had promised we would hear from the others. Hearing from them would prove that nothing had happened to them, that Darren had lied, hadn't betrayed them, and I wouldn't have to run from the only people I knew and learned to trust. 

That night my sleep was uneasy; a mess of paranoia induced dreams kept me tossing and turning, waking in cold sweats, till at least I was able to fall into a black dreamless abyss. When I woke again around six a.m it had taken me a moment to realize what had woken me.

"Julia!" Darren growled. "Listen to me! You must get everyone out of there! Please... just... no ... Ching can..." another growl as he grew tired of being interrupted. "Look I don't care if you believe... I get... Shut up! For god sakes just assume they know all the –" He stopped short as the other line cut out "Damn it!" A loud crash followed the outburst.

I crept out of the room toward the kitchen. Leaning around the corner I saw Darren sitting at the island head in his hands, his hair frazzled as though he'd been pulling at it, making it stick up in different places. The floor creaked under my weight, I shoot behind the corner as Darren looked my way.

"Lilly?" His voice was cautious as though he worried I was someone else. 'He knows something about the invasion.' I thought standing frozen in the hallway. 'He knows this place is compromised – but he's trying to warn the others' the part of me that had always trusted him fought back. 'He couldn't have betrayed them, he's trying to save them.'

"Lilly?" I opened my eyes to see Darren standing in front of me. "What are... did you..." he sighed. "If you're up we should go. Get your bag." He moved back to the kitchen picking up pieces of a broken cell phone. As I watched him I couldn't help but wonder, where are we going now? What are we going to do?

Darren didn't seem to have an answer to thatquestion, or he didn't feel like sharing. Either way he left the questionunanswered leaving the stereo to fill the silence.

"So..." I started, ranking my brain for anything to break up the grunge music silence. "How old are you exactly?" I winced at the subject choice, I had yet to fully come to terms with the whole vampire thing. Asking about it probably wasn't my best choice, but as much as I feared the vampire of Darren, my gut wanted to know more about him. Darren looked caught off guard by the question.

"Uh... 73," He shot me a questioning look. 

A wave of anxiety washed through me as I looked him in the eye. Before I could stop it the verbal diarrhea took over, "So you've been 20 for, what, 50 years? Seems like a good deal, the perfect age to be bitten if you think about it. I mean you can get a job, drink, drive, not attend school, een live alone without anybody thinking weird about it. Totally under the radar." His questioning look turned amused and I felt my checks light up. "So.. ugh... how did you become a vampire in the first place?" 

Darren laughed, seeming to find my gushing amusing. "I was born a vampire." My shock must have shown on my face 'cause Darren elaborated. "We are born with the virus, like most supernaturals we grow into our gifts when we hit puberty. Till then Travis and I lived pretty normal lives."

"So,  your parents were vampires? Must have been nice to have them to prepare you." I couldn't help my own bitterness seep into my voice. It wasn't my mother's fault for leaving me, but if things were as I suspected the orphanage had full knowledge of what I was but they kept that info from me. Now I had no idea what I was, or what to expect. 

"Sorta," Darrens answer pulled me from my mind. His mouth was pulled into a frown. "Our father wasn't really there for us, he shut down after our mother died; blamed Travis and I for her death. I suppose in a way he's right." I felt my mouth drop; how could he be responsible for her death? The shock and question must have been readable on my face. "She died in childbirth," He added quickly. moving to explain how the birth of a vampire is an unpleasant experience for any mother only one third surviving; moreover giving birth to twins, it was impossible for her to survive. "Either way it meant we were on our own from the start. We lived pretty normal lives despite it all. Travis was always the most popular, I think people only really talked to me to keep on his good side. But it meant when we started changing that it was no big deal for me to cut off the humans around us. Travis on the other hand," He shrugged. "It was hard for him. The thirst is really hard to deal with at first and Travis, well he messed up. There was this girl he'd been dating for over a year at the time. Local Boy Kills Girlfriend in Occult Ritual, it made the headline of all the major news papers." Darren's eyes had grown distant as he relived the memory. I couldn't imagine the fear he must have felt for his brother, or the pain Travis had felt. It made me feel bad for having such an adverse reaction to the other boy back at the safe house. I promised myself I would make a point of getting on better footing with him when we meet up with the others. 

Darren took a deep breath before continuing. "That's when the Cabals first approached him. They said that they were scientists working on a way to remove the negative side effects of the supernatural world. They promised him a life of normalcy, and no matter what my opinion was he was sold. We'd been with them for several years when I fell upon some sensitive information." He glanced my way and I knew he was referring to the same thing that had scared my mother; whatever that was exactly." He's my brother, and all he ever wanted was a normal life. When I brought him the information we fought, but in the end he conceded and we left." 

I was watching the mix of emotions playing across his face as he told his story. Glossing over the details of their life before Roger found them. They mood had grown so dark, I struggled to find something to say, something that would lift the mood. Before i figured anything out my eyes caught the glaring view of headlights heading for Darren's drivers door.

I screamed, but all I could hear was the metallic screech of the car folding in on itself. My head bounced into my window, the impact spreading ice through my skull and everything went black.   

**Author's Note:**

> I've been working on this story for years, and I feel like the first bits are good enough to publish online although my progress on it is super slow so my apologies for any long waits between chapters.


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